1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data distribution system and method including a plurality of client devices connected to a data server through optical fibers so that the client device is allowed to acquire data containing a large capacity image in a short time by use of a plurality of optical switches.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is a conventional practice to transmit data from the server to the client device (personal computer: PC) through an optical fiber in accordance with a packet transmission scheme. Where sending a large capacity of data such as image data according to the packet transmission scheme, a delay is incurred over the optical fiber line, thus requiring a long time for the client device to acquire the data completely.
In particular, recently it has been a frequent practice to send a large capacity of MRI or computed-tomographic image data from a PC or data collector in an examination room to a PC on a physician's desk so that the physician can conduct a diagnosis based upon the data. There is expected, in the future, an increasing tendency of transmitting and receiving such a large capacity of data by way of an optical fiber line, in the middle scale businesses and office besides in the hospital.
However, in the packet transmission scheme, there is a limitation in transmitting and receiving a large capacity of data at high speed, which is desired for improvement.